Combined forceps-container device



Nov. 22, 1966 w. T. TERRELL ET AL 3,236,559

COMBINED FORCEPS-CONTAINER DEVICE Filed April 1, 1964 INVENTORS WILLIAM T. TERRELL NORBERT J. FORNES ATTORNEY United States Patent ware Filed Apr. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 356,455 Claims. (Cl. 81-43) This invention relates to improvements in forceps and containers, and more particularly to a new and improved combined forceps-container device.

Some products and materials, by their nature, are more easily manipulated by means of forceps or tweezers than by hand. Since the protection of most of such products or materials during storage or shipment requires a full or partial enclosure of suitable strength and impermeability, there is a definite need for a device combining both of these functions. The present invention is designed to fulfill these functions by providing a container for a wide variety of such products or materials and a convenient means in the form of forceps for handling the same.

Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide a new and improved forceps device also known as a tweezer, and which is designed in a manner which permits its use as an enclosure or container for products or materials of any appropriate nature.

Another primary object of the invention is to provide a new and improved container device which is designed in a manner which permits its use'as a forceps or tweezer for handling such products or materials.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved combined forceps-container device which not only satisfies the manufacturers need to package his product, but also the customers need for a convenient means to handle the product.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved combined forceps-container device which fulfills not only a dual utilitarian function or purpose, but also a promotional function in enhancing the good will of the manufacturer in the eyes of the customer by serving as a conversation piece, all as a direct result of its dual utilitarian function.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved combined forceps-container device which is designed in a manner which equals or lowers its cost in comparison to the cost of conventional means of acceptable packaging, and which produces correspondingly greater cost saving in comparison to the extra cost of adding conventional tweezers as a separate promotionalutility item in a regular package.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved combined forceps-container device which is particularly adapted for use in enclosing and handling bead type semiconductors, although clearly not limited to such use.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale (about one and one-half times actual size), of a combined forceps-container device constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention, and which is illustrated as being clamped in the closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2 and illustrating a typical bead type semiconductor embedded in a foam carrier block inserted in the inventive embodiment;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4, and

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view similar to FIG- URE 2, but illustrating the inventive embodiment in two positions, the first with its arms completely open and containing the carrier block and semiconductor, as shown in solid lines, and the second with its arms compressed together and gripping the bead of the semiconductor, as shown in phantom.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like numerals indicate like parts, a combined forceps-container device constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention is generally indicated at 1. This device is preferably molded in one piece from suitable plastic material such as high impact polystyrene, although it will be evident that other suitable materials and fabricating techniques could be used.

Device 1 is composed of a pair of elongated hollow arms or shells 2 connected at their inner or left ends by a resilient and normally expanded, split cylindrical loop 3 normally biasing arms 2 apart, as shown in FIGURE 6. At their inner ends, arms 2 are provided with integral flat web portions 4 merging with loop 3 at its split portions, and at their outer ends, arms 2 are preferably solid and provided with opposed serrated forceps gripping surfaces 5 of any suitable configuration, but shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 as being of the intaglio cross-hatch type (i.e., like a wafile iron).

Referring to FIGURES 1-3 in particular, it will be noted that hollow arms 2 are of arcuate cross section, tapering acutely into flat web portions 4 at their inner ends and tapering gradually to their semipointed narrower and thinner outer ends. Intermediate their inner and outer ends, arms 2 are provided with elongated container forming recesses or cavities 6 for receiving and enclosing the appropriate products or materials. In the embodiment illustrated, the opposed inner surfaces 7 of arms 2 and their web portions 4 form mating, planar, marginal portions surrounding each of gripping surfaces 5 and cavities 6 and finally merging into loop 3. These surfaces 7 contact each other to complete the enclosure when arms 2 are closed, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Thus, it can be seen that the arms, when in the closedposition, form a container having a wholly enclosed cavity of uniform cross-section throughout substantially the entire length of the cavity.

The inventive device 1 is completed by a removable endless annular band 8 which readily slides over the outer ends of arms 2 and clamps the arms together, as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 2. Band 8 is preferably made of suitable plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride, although other suitable materials could be used, and has a slight give or stretch to facilitate the desired frictional engagement with the outer surfaces of arms 2.

In fabricating inventive device 1, it is preferably molded with arms 2 and loop 3 in extended flat condition (not shown, but which can be visualized by rotating upper arm 2 of FIGURE 6 counter clockwise to the same level as lower arm 2 and flattening out loop 3). Following this molding step, the loop 3 is partially wrapped around a mandrel (not shown) to the solid line position of FIG- URE 6, and molded to shape in this expanded position, wherein it normally biases arms 2 apart.

In utilizing the inventive device 1, a suitable product or material is inserted into the cavities 6 of arms 2, which are then closed and clamped by band 8 for shipment or storage. Following removal of the product or material, it can be handled readily by employing device 1 as a forceps or tweezers. For example, a polyurethane foam carrier block C and a bead type semiconductor P embedded therein are shown inserted into lower cavity 6 in FIGURES 4-6, the block C being unhatched in FIGURES 4 and 5 for clarity. Device 1 may be readily closed and clamped by band 8 for use as a shipping or storage container for the block C and semiconductor P. Following removal of block C, inventive device 1 may be used as a forceps to readily remove semiconductor P from block C, and transport the semiconductor as desired, merely by closing arms 2 and gripping surfaces 5 against the bead, as shown in phantom in FIGURE 6. Thus, the relatively fragile and quite small semiconductor P (which is also shown about one and one-half times its actual size) is not only adequately protected during shipping and storage, but also is readily handled, all by inventive device 1.

It is now apparent how the invention accomplishes its various objects, and its numerous advantages are likewise evident. While the invention has been described and illustrated herein with reference to a single preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention by those skilled in the art, without departing from the inventive concept, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A combined forceps-container device comprising a pair of arm means connected at their inner ends and normally biased apart, said arm means having opposed forceps gripping means at their outer ends and opposed container forming recess means intermediate their inner and outer ends and said arm means, when biased together, forming a container portion, said container portion having a wholly enclosed cavity of uniform cross-section through substantially the entire cavity length.

2. The combined forceps-container device of claim 1 including removable means clamping said arm means together.

3. A combined forceps-container device comprising a pair of arm means connected at their inner ends by resilient means normally biasing said arm means apart, said arm means having opposed forceps gripping means at their outer ends and opposed container forming recess means intermediate their inner and outer ends said arm means, when biased together, forming a container portion, said container portion having a wholly enclosed cavity of uniform cross-section through substantially the entire cavity length.

4. The combined forceps-container device of claim 3 including removable means clamping said arm means together.

5. A combined forceps-container device comprising a pair of arms connected at their inner ends by a resilient loop normally biasing said arms apart, said arms having opposed forceps gripping surfaces at their outer ends and opposed container forming recesses intermediate their inner and outer ends and said arm, when biased together, forming a container, said container having a wholly enclosed cavity of uniform cross-section through substantially the entire cavity length.

6. The combined forceps-container device of claim 5 including a removable band surrounding and clamping said arms together.

7. A one-piece combined forceps-container device comprising a pair of hollow arms connected at their inner ends by a resilient and normally expanded, split loop normally biasing said arms apart, said arms having opposed roughened forceps gripping surfaces at their outer ends and opposed container forming cavities intermediate their inner and outer ends said arms, when biased together, forming a container, said container having a wholly enclosed cavity of uniform cross-section through substantially the entire cavity length.

8. The combined forceps-container device of claim 7 including a removable endless band surrounding and clamping said arms together.

9. A one-piece combined forceps-container device comprising a pair of elongated hollow arms of arcuate cross section tapering toward their outer ends and connected at their inner ends by a resilient and normally expanded, split cylindrical loop normally biasing said arms apart, said arms having opposed, mating, serrated forceps gripping surfaces at their outer ends and opposed, mating container forming cavities intermediate their inner and outer ends said arms, when biased together, forming a container, said container having a wholly enclosed cavity of uniform cross-section through substantially the entire cavity length.

10. The combined forceps-container device of claim 9 including a removable, endless annular band surrounding and clamping said arms together.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 277,531 5/1883 Ackermann 8143 X 281,967 7/1883 Bush 81-43 549,680 11/1895 Morley 81-43 581,810 5/1897 Clarkson 81-43 2,507,762 5/ 1950 Drabik 81--43 2,842,993 7/ 1958 Thomas WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MICHAEL BALAS, Examiner.

O. M. SIMPSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COMBINED FORCEPS-CONTAINER DEVICE COMPRISING A PAIR OF ARM MEANS CONNECTED AT THEIR INNER ENDS AND NORMALLY BIASED APART, SAID ARM MEANS HAVING OPPOSED FORCEPS GRIPPING MEANS AT THEIR OUTER ENDS AND OPPOSED CONTAINER FORMING RECESS MEANS INTERMEDIATE THEIR INNER AND OUTER ENDS AND SAID ARM MEANS, WHEN BIASED TOGETHER, FORMING A CONTAINER PORTION, SAID CONTAINER PORTION HAVING A WHOLLY ENCLOSED CAVITY OF UNIFORM CROSS-SECTION THROUGH SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE CAVITY LENGTH. 